AyA Head Announces Cost Cuts
And Assures No Layoffs
The president of the Acueductos y Alcantarillados, Ricardo Sancho
Chavarría, announced yesterday a series of measures to reduce costs
at the water and sewer utility in an effort to avoid a rate increase
and job cuts.
Chavarría said that the measures will be in place for the following
nine months and follow the objectives of the government in this time
of financial crisis.
According to Chavarría, the AyA will reduce its vehicular fleet by
20%, meaning as saving of ¢600 million colones for the utility, it
will cut overtime and the efficient use of cellular and fixed line
telephones, as some of the measures.
The AyA head said the the measures will assure the poorest continued
water service and no increases.
What the changes mean to the AyA worker and customers is that
beginning on February 9, business hours at the utility will be from
7:45am to 4pm. As well the utility will be promoting the work from
home for at least 25 employees and eliminate all overtime in the
administrative sector.
All AyA employees are expected to reduce the waste of paper,
photocopying and work time, use efficiently all telecommunications
devices, like cellular telephones, faxes and internet and beginning
March 15, an evaluation of worker efficiency will begin.
The utility will also open a special window for the business and
construction sector to reduce the time spent in line and come March
the utility will begin using management contracts.
Chavarría closed his comments by saying that the utility will
renegotiate its debt with the Ministerio de Hacienda (Revenue
ministry) and most important, there will be no layoffs. |
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